Legal · head to head
Smokeball vs MyCase
Smokeball
Legal
Practice management for small law firms with automatic time capture
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only MyCase has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Smokeball requires a Windows desktop component for automatic time capture, so it is not browser-only like its competitors; MyCase all plans are per-user pricing, not per-firm; previously paid fees are non-refundable
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Smokeball and MyCase actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Legal).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Smokeball
- Automatic time capture
- Matter management
- Document automation
- Billing and trust accounting
Only in MyCase
Nothing recorded that Smokeball does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Smokeball
- Firms billing hourly that lose revenue to unrecorded timenot MyCase
- Small practices replacing paper matter files and spreadsheetsnot MyCase
- Firms needing court form automation for high-volume matter typesnot MyCase
MyCase
- Managing billable hours and generating client invoices from time entriesnot Smokeball
- Organizing discovery documents and case materials in searchable repositoriesnot Smokeball
- Processing trust account reconciliations for client fundsnot Smokeball
- Coordinating client communications through texting and portalsnot Smokeball
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Smokeball
- Requires a Windows desktop component for automatic time capture, so it is not browser-only like its competitors
- Quote-only pricing with no published rates
- Aimed at small firms; larger practices with complex billing arrangements generally outgrow it
MyCase
- All plans are per-user pricing, not per-firm; previously paid fees are non-refundable
Pricing, plan by plan
Smokeball
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Smokeball review.
MyCase
Free- Basic$60/month
- Basic features
- Annual option $50/month
- Pro$120/month
- Pro features
- Annual option $100/month
- Most popular
- Advanced$150/month
- Advanced features
- Annual option $130/month
Which should you pick?
Choose Smokeball if
- You need automatic time capture.
- You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want matter management.
Questions people ask
- Is Smokeball or MyCase better?
- Neither clearly leads. Smokeball starts at On request and MyCase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Smokeball or MyCase?
- MyCase has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Smokeball and Free for MyCase.
- Does Smokeball or MyCase run on more platforms?
- Smokeball runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. MyCase runs on Web.
- Can I use MyCase for free?
- Yes. MyCase has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Smokeball starts at On request.
- What is Smokeball best used for?
- Smokeball is most often used for firms billing hourly that lose revenue to unrecorded time, small practices replacing paper matter files and spreadsheets, firms needing court form automation for high-volume matter types. Of those, firms billing hourly that lose revenue to unrecorded time and small practices replacing paper matter files and spreadsheets are not what MyCase is typically brought in for.
- What can Smokeball do that MyCase cannot?
- Smokeball covers Automatic time capture, Matter management, Document automation, Billing and trust accounting.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Smokeball: What does Smokeball cost?
Pricing is quoted per firm and not published.
MyCase: How much does MyCase cost?
MyCase pricing starts at $60/month per user for the Basic plan, $120/month for Pro, and $150/month for Advanced when billed monthly.
SourceSmokeball: How does automatic time capture work?
A desktop application observes work on matters and turns activity into billable entries, rather than depending on someone remembering to start a timer.
MyCase: Does MyCase offer a free trial?
Yes, MyCase offers a 10-day free trial with full access and no credit card required.
SourceSmokeball: Does it run on Mac?
The automatic time capture component is Windows-based, which is the main platform constraint.
MyCase: Are there annual billing discounts available?
Yes, annual billing saves up to 16% compared to monthly billing, with Basic at $50/user/month annually, Pro at $100/user/month, and Advanced at $130/user/month.
Source